Black Hills Faces

Clay Feathers

We’ve run a lot of stories on veterans over the past decade of FACES, so it seems somehow fitting that FACES art director James Van Nuys has been commissioned to sculpt the eagle for the Veteran’s Memorial, which will be dedicated on Veteran’s Day, November 11, in the new promenade at Memorial Park in Rapid City. If you look closely at this photo, you will see evidence of this artist’s many talents. Note, for example, the line of guitar cases under the workstation behind the eagle. (Don’t even ask how many guitars and other stringed instruments he has.) Yes, he plays a little guitar. Behind the eagle and out of sight is an electronic device that allows James to listen to unabridged classic literature while he works. Today’s book is Pagan Spring, a mystery by G.M. Malliet. The screen beneath the eagle’s wing is a monitor for the camera that is sighted on the gallery’s front door, so that when customers come in he can either drop his knife and rush out to greet them (enthusiastically, of course), or pretend he didn’t see anything and get right back to work.